The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the ornamental flowering shrub Abelia, hereinafter referred to by the varietal denomination ‘Raspberry Profusion’. ‘Raspberry Profusion’ originated from an interspecific cross made in 1998 between the cultivar ‘Edward Goucher’ (unpatented) and Abelia chinensis R. Br. Seeds from this cross were sown in 1999, and eleven seedlings were obtained. These seedlings were planted in a field plot in Griffin, Ga. in the fall of 1999 and were evaluated for three years for flowering and foliage characteristics, plant form and height, cold hardiness and drought tolerance. Plant 99-6-9 was selected among these plants, and assigned the name ‘Raspberry Profusion’.
‘Raspberry Profusion’ forms a dense compact shrub. A 4-year old, unpruned, field grown plant measured 145 cm tall and 185 cm wide. Check cultivars ‘Francis Mason’ (unpatented) (132×137 cm) and ‘Rose Creek’ (unpatented) (142×198 cm) were similar in size, whereas ‘Compacta’ (unpatented) (195×240 cm), ‘Golden Glow’ (unpatented) (175×211 cm) and ‘Little Richard’ (unpatented) (165×244 cm) were significantly larger.
The foliage of ‘Raspberry Profusion’ is medium to dark green, although the glossy leaves are largely obscured by the heavy flowering. The plant is mostly deciduous in winners in USDA Zone 7. ‘Raspberry Profusion’ is an early bloomer, beginning in mid May, and is a prolific bloomer with fragrant, pink flowers and showy, raspberry colored sepals. Large compound panicles of flowers and sepals cover the plant. Terminal shoot panicles average 9 cm long by 5 cm wide axillary panicles average 7 cm to 3.5 cm.
Laboratory evaluations of cold hardiness in Griffin, Ga. during the winter of 2003-04 revealed a mid-winter hardiness of −18 to −21° C., similar to the check cultivars ‘Francis Mason’ and ‘Prostrata’ (unpatented), and 3 to 4° C. more hardy than ‘Canyon Creek’ (unpatented) and ‘Rose Creek’. Plants grown in Blairsville and Griffin, Ga. during the 2003-04 winter had no damage.
‘Raspberry Profusion’ has drought tolerance typical of Abelia, and once established it continues to grow and bloom without irrigation, although leaf drop occurs in summer and fall under drought stress, similar to the check cultivars.